The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗖𝗟 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀. Members of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) have embarked on a strike after management refused to accede to their demand of R600 increase to their wages.
𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗨 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗖𝗟 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗖𝗟 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀.
GIWUSA and its members are justified to demand the R600 increase based on two factors: the rising cost of living and the total earnings of the company in the previous financial year.
𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴
In contrast to the economic liberals, who think a wage must be determined by the supply and demand in the labour market, we argue that labour power must be sold at its value. The value of labour power is the aggregation of all the basic necessities that reproduces it. This includes food, shelter, transport and social reproduction at the minimal.
Given the interest rates which have been elevated to 11,75% at prime lending and the inflation rate that has averaged over 6% in the past two years, the cost of these basic necessities has risen significantly. The latest Household Affordability Index by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity research group indicates that the average household food basket costs R5,324.86 per month. Transport to and from work, excluding fare to school for children, costs R1 760, and a 350 KWh costs R906. In addition to the current rate of consumer prices, inflation is projected to average 4,7% over the Medium-Term.
Summarily, this shows that workers deserve an increase to their wages so that they could afford the basic necessities for the reproduction of their labour power.
𝗥𝗖𝗟 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
In the last financial year, ending June 2023, RCL Foods recorded a R539 million in profits and paid R268 million to shareholders in dividends. The negotiations for these wages are based on claiming past earnings i.e. the past surplus value created by labour power of our workers. From their annual report, it is clear that RCL Foods made profits that enable it to afford the current wage demand.
SAFTU calls on RCL Foods workers to unite across all divisions of RCL to fight for a wage increases until management accede to their demands.
